Josef Schrabal,
born 12/31/1922 in Sazava, near Prague, Czech Republic
Educated in Prague, Paris and Chattanooga
During the second world was send by Nazi on forced labor
(HERE)
to Siemens in Soernewitz, near Dresden. Escaped and for the rest of the war worked in underground against Nazi. In May 1945 his group liberated transmitter of the Radio Prague in Liblice near Cesky Brod, then he was a fighter on barricades at Masarykovo nadrazi in Prague's uprising.
Founder of the Youth of Benes' Party at Vinohrady, section of Prague.
Correspondent to the Prague's daily Svobodne slovo (Free Word) since 1936. After 1945 became organizer of its regional pages and in 1946 chief of its' last edition. On February 23rd, 1948 he made the last free Free Word (posledni svobodne Svobodne slovo).
After the 1948 communist coup in Czechoslovakia, he organized a group helping prominent politicians and journalists to escape communist persecution, himself escaping in March 1948.
During 1948-49 he associated with the Sorbonne in Paris and was the editor of a Czech refugee monthly published in Paris.
He arrived to the United States in October 1949, to the University of Chattanooga in the State of Tennessee. Employed by the editorial department of the Chattanooga Free Press and Chattanooga Times.
He was relocated to New York in 1951.
In 1953 married Eleanor Podhajsky, born in 1931 near the Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, New York. (Some wedding photos HERE) Subsequently he organized several very successful businesses. A communication engineering firm, a High Mountain Ski School based at the Columbus Circle in Manhattan and several other very profitable ventures, (only one of them was not much successful, 1970 association with Czech Jawa).
In 1960 he served as Alpine events referee and Olympic Official at the VIII. Winter Olympic games at Squaw Valley, CA.
Politically democrat, worked with and for Estes Keafhoffer, Kenneth McKellar and John F. Kennedy. In New York worked with Bill Ryan, West-Side leader, campaign worker for Priscilla Ryan, Edward Koch and Carrey.
As a trustee, he holds Federal Communication Commission license for the Columbia University ARC.
He was a member and vice-president (1978) of the New York Amateur Computer Club and founder of its 8080-SIG and the Investment SIG.
Financially secured and independent, he retired in February 1980 after a triple by-pass surgery.
Recent:In March 1990, he returned back to native Prague. Became correspondent from New York and from the United Nations.
He is an independent journalist, editorial writer and cyber-journalist. He is a student and promoter of Freedom of the Press.
Publisher of the first czech-news www-page on internet. (January 1994)
Publisher of an electronic monthly, the New York Herald (Newyorske listy)(in Czech)
Hobby
Skiing, sailing (Hobie 16), amateur radio (WA2USS), gardening, bee keeping
Recent in 2000: Photographer of presidents:
(Clinton)
and
(Havel)